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Check in with our panel of experts who are predicting the outcome of tonight's Flames clash against the red-hot Avs (7:30 p.m., Flames PPV, FAN960).

Scott Cruickshank, hockey writer, Calgary Herald

Bank on seeing: A new-look squadron out of Denver. No Sakic. No Smyth, Laperierre, Arnason, Leopold. For some reason, though, the Avs are winning like crazy. Credit coach Joe Sacco (who, at season’s start, was thought to be a Rocky Mountain sacrificial lamb) and netminder Craig Anderson (a one-time draft pick of the Flames — 77th overall in 1999 — who failed to come to terms with the club, re-entered the draft, got selected 73rd overall in 2001 by the Chicago Blackhawks, worked as a backup for a number of years with the Blackhawks and Florida, and wound up in Colorado this season) . . . Goals from the hosts, who continue to pace the NHL in offence (an average of four tallies per night) . . . Fewer penalties taken by the Flames, who are causing their boss, Brent Sutter, great anxiety with their undisciplined stylings.

Avalanche difference maker: C Matt Duchene: The "other" pick at the 2009 NHL draft, after John Tavares and Victor Hedman, is making a difference in Colorado. Produces. Kills penalties.

Score: Flames 5-2 (primarily because the Avs, operating on the second half of a back-to-back, are depleted by injury/illness.)

Vicki Hall, hockey writer, Calgary Herald

Bank on seeing: An up-close picture of why the shocking Colorado Avalanche lead the entire NHL with 20 points…a glimpse of a future star in Matt Duchene ….a picture of the future Jack Adams Trophy winner, Joe Sacco….a rested Calgary Flames team taking on a tired Avalanche squad riding a Rocky Mountain high from surprising everyone (and we mean everyone) this young NHL season.

Bank on seeing: A low-scoring game. Through a combination of goaltending and collective defensive commitment, the Avs have allowed just a shade over two goals per game. Brent Sutter, eat your heart out.

Flames difference maker: Defenceman Dion Phaneuf. In a what promises to be a tight affair, a moment of individual showmanship often turns the game. Phaneuf is, of course, fully capable of such a moment bearing down from his defence position.

Avalanche difference maker: Goaltender Craig Anderson. The 28-year-old has been the ‘find’ of the season. A 1.96 GAA and .940 save percentage, coming off a 3-0 shutout of the Oilers at Rexall Place. With back-up Peter Budaj out due to flu, he’ll be carrying the mail for the foreseeable future.

Score: Patience is not only a virtue, it’s a downright necessity in games such as this one. Because the Avs are playing their second in consecutive nights, go with Calgary 3-2.

Al Cameron, sports writer, Calgary Herald

Bank on seeing: We expected to see a lot of early-season Northwest Division showdowns based on the schedule, but we didn't expect to see the Avs in a lot of them.

Flames difference maker: Lost in the shuffle of the Flames' offensive outburst to open the season is that Miikka Kiprusoff is off to one of his best starts in recent years.

Bank on seeing: A Sakic-less, Smyth-less Avalanche team that is 9-1-2 at the moment, partially due to the goaltending of Craig Anderson (who?). Since backup Peter Budaj didn't even make the four game roadie thanks to the ol' Swine Flu, we could see the man himself tonight. Meanwhile, his friends Wojtek Wolski, Paul Stastny, and Milan Hejduk will provide the show up front. But Calgary, on the other hand, will be eager to jump out of the gates themselves having the last three nights off.

Flames difference maker: David Moss. Back to his usual self, banging and getting tossed around in front of the net. He'll likely get a piece of a Jay Bouwmeester shot.

Avalanche difference maker: T.J. Galiardi. This former Calgary Hitman and native Calgarian is basically on home turf tonight. His linemates Matt Duchene and Marek Svatos will also help make up for what their top guns may lack tonight after blanking the Oil Tuesday.

Score: 4-2 Flames to finish off the looooong home stand. Two power-play markers from one of the league's top units, the other two from the Flames' swell five-on-five play.

Heath Brown, CTV Sports

Bank on seeing: A stunning performance between the pipes by Colorado's Craig Anderson. The Flames' 1999 draft pick has led the Avalanche to the best record in the NHL. It's a fantastic story for many reasons not the least of which is the more shots he faces the better he plays and the more wins he gets.

Flames difference maker: Dion Phaneuf. The Flames offensive defenceman may not only deliver a knockout bodycheck to one of the young Avs forwards, dare they come near him, but he'll chip in with a big goal as well.

Avalanche difference maker: Other than Anderson who recorded his second shutout of the season in Edmonton last night, Wojtek Wolski is leading the way on offence for the Avs. Wolski has 7 goals.

Score: 3-2 Flames. The well-rested Flames take advantage of the team that is currently number one overall in the standings.

Pat Steinberg, FAN960

Bank on seeing: A Flames team ready right from the hop. Not saying they haven't been in other games, but they face an Avalanche team starting a road trip with back to back games. They played in Edmonton Tuesday, so an up-tempo, hard forechecking first period might be exactly what the doctor ordered for Calgary.

Flames difference maker: David Moss. His second game back after missing a few, it looks like he'll skate with Freddie Sjostrom and Olli Jokinen. Moss can be a factor on the powerplay and even strength.

Avalanche difference maker: Kyle Quincey. The main part in the Ryan Smyth trade. Quincey already has 8 points off the blueline, giving the Avs their best powerplay threat in a while.

Score: The Flames stay perfect on the home stand, 3-1 win.

D'Arcy McGrath, owner and publisher, calgarypuck.com

Bank on seeing: Something has to give in this one. Two teams both surprisingly off to great starts (the Flames as notorious slow starters, the Avalanche as an assume left for dead club) meet to solve the true power in the Northwest Division; at least for October. The Flames are getting closer and closer to Brent Sutter's system, and the Avalanche have shocked everyone with their play of late. Should be interesting.

Flames difference maker: The Flames are getting help from all corners of their roster with Jarome Iginla finding his mark and joining his supporting cast. Would be nice to get Olli Jokinen out of the blocks and sort the lines out, but the team will be happy to keep plugging along with balanced scoring.

Avalanche difference maker: An easy one ... goaltender Craig Anderson. The former Flames pick has played every minute for Denver thus far this season, starring in 80% of his starts as he paces his outshot chums. He needs to be a first star again to find two points.

Score: The Avs played in Edmonton the night before, so the extremely well rested Flames should prevail if they can shake the funk that comes with inactivity early and get after their visitors. Flames 3 Avalanche 1.

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